Breaking Free

by Phoenix Dayze

They had taken everything. His life, his soul, his mind, even his ability to move and speak, trapping him within his own inner void. All he had left was Zack.

Breaking Free
By: Phoenix Dayze
(Cloud/Zack)
PG-13

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy or its characters. No disrespect is intended.

Zack had always been there, an everlasting glimmer of peace and comfort in Cloud's world of vicious reality. He was constant. And Cloud clung to that tiny shred of truth with everything he had left. And it wasn't much. They had taken everything. His life, his soul, his mind, even his ability to move and speak, trapping him within his own inner void. All he had left was Zack.

This thought circled in his torn thoughts, shedding a warm glow against the darkness that threatened to consume him. He had Zack. Zack had always protected him, always loved him. And he always would. No force in the world could change that. Zack would be Zack forever, despite the devil's trials to change him. Cloud smiled in his head.

His body vibrated as the truck bed rumbled beneath him. He swayed as bit and a strong hand shot out to steady him. The warm, timbered voice came to him through a fog. Hang on, Pal. We're almost there… He was vaguely aware of Zack moving back to recline again, but he couldn't see. His eyes were open, unfocused, taking in everything and nothing. Thank you, Hojo…

Cloud's thoughts took a tapered turn, the images growing sharp and invasive. It was appropriate after what they'd suffered. Flashes of needles, pain, darkness, and hot, searing agony pricked through his memories, trying to find birth in a cognizant recognition. The years were jumbled, the torture, the experiments, they all blurred into one writhing mass of aching confusion along with the rest of his life.

He broke through the oppressive assault at the sound of Zack's voice again. I would never forget about you, Cloud. He calmed. Nothing could harm him while Zack was here. Least of all his own mind. He wanted to smile. We're friends, right?

That did it. Moving slowly, Cloud stiffly began to maneuver himself around to his hands and knees. He crawled across the truck to where Zack was sitting, legs stretched out in front of him. Ignoring Zack's shock, Cloud carefully pulled himself atop the older man, straddling his thighs, his own legs braced against the warm metal. His hands rested on Zack's shoulders as he stared down into the Mako bright eyes of his friend. "Yes," he whispered softly, bringing a hand up to gently caress the side of Zack's face. "We're friends." He lowered his head, drinking in the nearly inaudible moan that Zack let out right before their mouths met. It was a passionate contradiction. It was soft where years of pain had turned them hard. It was tender when they were desperate from loneliness. And for all the need they felt, the pent-up release they craved, time stood still in this moment and it was only them and the gentle pressure of their lips finally joined together. It was completely satisfying, and it would never be enough.

Fate would never give them more. Cloud would never get a chance to carry out the beautiful emission in his head. Zack would never feel the hungry touch of his mouth. A deafening crack split the silence of self-assurance. The truck skidded to a stop. Zack fell down beside him, his body warm against him, too warm… Hot, sticky…something…slid over him, soaking through his clothes. Cloud couldn't quite register the red in his mind, or Zack's eerie stillness.

His mind replayed the last few moments as if stuck on a loop, the memories seeping in to be stuck in the endless foray of lost reality Cloud carried around inside him. The events of this day would come to haunt him. Even when the memories finally sorted themselves out, he would never escape these moments. There was no breaking free from death. Death would cling to him, taint him, and twist him until his heart was as shattered as his mind. And he would finally understand. Death was the only real freedom. Lucky Zack.

The End.